Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III assured this Sunday that the United States will take the necessary measures to defend Israel from Iranian aggression but will not seek an escalation with Iran.
“I spoke to Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant today for a third time this weekend to review the successful combined operation by the United States, Israel, and their partners to defend Israel from unprecedented attacks launched from Iranian territory and by Iran’s proxies,” Austin announced. “While the United States does not seek escalation, we will continue to take all necessary action to defend Israel and U.S. personnel.”
I spoke to Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant today for a third time this weekend to review the successful combined operation by the United States, Israel, and their partners to defend Israel from unprecedented attacks launched from Iranian territory and by Iran’s proxies.…
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) April 14, 2024
Austin’s announcement comes while the United Nations Security Council is being held, in which the deputy representative of the United States to the UN, Robert Wood, stressed the need to condemn the massive attack with drones and missiles launched by Iran against Israel.
“In the coming days (…), the United States will explore additional measures to hold Iran accountable here at the United Nations. More immediately, the Security Council must unequivocally condemn Iran’s aggressive actions and urge Iran and its partners and allies to cease their noncompliance,” said Wood, who, like Austin, announced that the United States is not seeking an escalation of the conflict.
Likewise, this Sunday, a senior White House official told Axios that President Joe Biden had assured him during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States would not support an Israeli counterattack.
“Biden and his senior advisers are highly concerned an Israeli response to Iran’s attack on Israel would lead to a regional war with catastrophic consequences,” Axios reported.
Meanwhile, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, assured that his country reserves the right to retaliate.
“This attack crossed all red lines, and Israel reserves the legal right to respond. We are not the frog in the boiling water: We are a nation of lions,” Gilad Erdan stated bluntly in his speech to the Security Council.
